Wednesday 8th March
Read John 6:60-62
“On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!” (NIVUK)
We have considered the offensiveness of Jesus’ statements at length and His quite deliberate escalation of what people must believe about Him in order to receive life. But we have not yet considered His response to their offense. What does Jesus mean when He wonders at their response if they ‘see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before’ (v62)?
Much of the preceding narrative relates how Jesus is the bread that came down from heaven (v33, 38, 41-42, 50-51, 58). Perhaps that is the context of His remark. However Jesus’ observation in response to their grumbling is deliberately left open-ended. It could mean the ‘offense’ will be removed when they see Him ascend and they will feel rather foolish at being offended. Or it could mean that their offense will be far greater when they see Him ascend to where He was before. Or perhaps both?
When John writes of Jesus ‘ascending’ it is language usually related to the cross – where Jesus was ‘lifted up’ (cf John 3:14). If it is scandalous that Jesus speak of a sacrifice such that people would need to ‘eat His flesh and drink His blood’ to receive eternal life (v53) – how much more scandalous is it if the means by which His life is given is on a cross. Being lifted up on a cross is the height of humiliation and reserved for the lowest of criminals. Yet, it is also His deliberate path to glory, the glory He had before He descended…
Hence this open statement is also an open invitation. How people respond to the scandal of the cross will determine whether they are amongst those who receive life and accept the path of offense with their Lord or remain offended and hence doomed.
How marvellous is the cross?! ‘Who can accept it’ indeed!
